Thousands of patients on eye care waiting lists

ALMOST 12,500 people were on a waiting list for eye procedures at the end of last month, shock figures have revealed.

This was the largest inpatient waiting list of any medical speciality.

Astonishingly, more than 3,000 of these are waiting more than a year, with a further 800 patients waiting 18 months or more. Eye specialists have warned that the ‘crisis-level’ delays in eye care are endangering health and that the system for eye treatment needs to be reformed urgently to meet present and future demand.

The Association of Optometrists of Ireland called for immediate reform which would see community- and hospital-based services work together, with routine care and check-ups provided in the community and for only specialist or complex cases to be referred to hospital eye departments.

AOI chief Seán McCrave said: ‘Hospital eye departments cannot and will not meet ever-growing patient demand. In the UK and across Europe there has been an increasing move towards community-based eye care – and that is where Ireland needs to go to.’

As well as the 12,500 forced to wait on procedures, another 38,000 people are on outpatient waiting lists for appointments. This is up from 32,000 at the end of 2016.

Money could also be saved through a reformed system, according to the AOI.

‘We estimate that €32million can be saved while at the same time delivering a better and quicker service. This is because it is 50% less expensive to treat via the local optometrist than in the hospital system,’ said Mr McCrave.

He added this problem could be solved quickly by the HSE reviewing optometrists’ contracts and authorising them to provide an increased volume of routine public services.

‘We have 600 optometrists across the country who are trained, highly skilled, have the necessary equipment and want to solve the crisis. AOI is calling for discussions with the HSE to begin immediately,’ he said.

AOI estimates annual savings of €32.3million can be made. These savings would include children’s eye care, €7.2million; glaucoma, €19.3million; triage, €3.9million: and red eye, €1.9million.

The costs of community-based care (approximately €45) in comparison to outpatient department or hospital-based care is almost half when one includes the high levels of non-attendances, plus patient costs which include travel and parking.

Mr McCrave said there are three identifiable areas where optometrists can significantly reduce waiting times. These are the paediatric list, the cataract list and a review of stable patients post-treatment.

‘It is frustrating to continuously hear about the growing numbers on the waiting list, and the risks to patients this brings, while optometrists are in a position to immediately make significant inroads into solving the problem,’ he said.

Outside of the AOI, many ophthalmologists and patient groups have also been raising serious concerns about the risk posed for patients within the current system.

The HSE was contacted for comment about the waiting lists but did not reply by time of going to print.

‘That is where Ireland needs to go’